Salary comparison
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors: El Centro vs Odessa
El Centro, CA pays about 39.2% more for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors on paper — $141,760 vs $101,810. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, El Centro comes out ahead by $39,950 a year in real buying power.
El Centro, CA
$141,760
$96,160
$174,410
$68.16
100
$141,760/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Odessa, TX
$101,810
$64,900
$101,810
$48.95
100
$101,810/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $39,950 a year (39.2%) in favor of El Centro. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
El Centro runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Odessa sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, El Centro is the better deal by $39,950 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Odessa to El Centro for this role, the raise needs to beat 39.2% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors earn more, El Centro or Odessa?
El Centro pays $141,760 on median — about 39.2% more than Odessa ($101,810). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
El Centro. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, El Centro gives you roughly$141,760 of real buying power versus $101,810 in the other city.